A chilling surveillance video has emerged that captures the moment a wrong-way driver smashed into a group of law enforcement recruits in South Whittier in Los Angeles county.
The accident injured at least 25, five of them critically. Reports said that the driver, detained at the scene, was identified as a 22-year-old man. Police did not reveal his name.
The collision occurred around 6.25am on Wednesday near the intersection of Mills Avenue and Telegraph Road, just a short distance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Star Explore Training Academy.
Local reports said that the group of recruits included 75 people, 65 from the Sheriff’s Department and 10 from other law enforcement agencies, including the Bell, Glendale, Pasadena, El Segundo and UCLA police departments.
Five of the total recruits were critically injured and others have sustained minor injuries, according to the Sheriff Alex Villanueva. He said that the recruits sustained injuries to their head, they had broken bones and lost limbs.
“Now we’re facing some life-altering injuries for the most severely injured recruits… We hope all of them make a full recovery, and they’ll have a chance to come back and complete the academy. That’s my goal,” he added.
Patients were taken to several hospitals, including the St Francis Medical Centre in Lynwood, LAC+USC Medical Centre, UCI Medical Centre and PIH Health Whittier Hospital.
“It is hard to see because these young people are getting ready to go put themselves in the line of danger in their career, and who knows that while you’re training to do that, you’ve put yourself in harm’s way,” Capt Sheila Kelliher with the Los Angeles County Fire Department told reporters. “My heart goes out to all of them as they pursue this career. I hope they all have speedy recoveries and that they’re in good shape.”
Sheriff Villanueva said while those who were running in front saw the car, it happened quickly.
“They jumped out of the way, but the people behind had no chance because they never saw it,” he said.
He added that “it’s a tragic event, very traumatic for all involved”. He said that the recruits had “zero warning” of the vehicle.
